43 Years Old - Female Smoker - Wants to Run

I am a 43-year-old female smoker. I have been a smoker since I have been 25 years old. In the past one year I have started going jogging, but I can't run without my heartbeat going much too fast.

I even joined a 5k run, but after 3k I broke down and was very disappointed. I know it was because of my smoking. I have started smoking using a filter and slowly I intend to stop. Please help, I love running but my smoking habit is killing me.

Answer by Dominique:

Hi there,
Thanks for your question about running and smoking.

What can I say? On the positive: I have a friend who smokes. And he has run marathons. So, it is possible to run, while you are working on kicking the habit.

Let's cover off on the following:

1. High heart rate and low fitness
2. Building your fitness

High Heart Rate and Low Fitness

It is pretty normal for beginning runners to have a very high heart rate when exercising. Your heart is a pump, pumping blood around your body. When you train it the right way it gets more and more efficient. It gets better and better at pumping more blood around your body with every heart beat.

When you have had a long time, maybe a lifetime, of not exercising, your heart is not very well trained. When you are suddenly asking it to pump more blood, it is going to struggle a bit.

Clearly, the smoking is not helping. I am sure you are trying to find ways to quit the smoking. One piece of advice, if you haven't done so already, is to talk to your doctor about this. Your doctor can talk you through the options and help you find the best method for quitting.

Even without the smoking, every beginning is hard. I don't know what type of preparations you did for this 5k run. But you are not the first relatively untrained person who discovers that running 5k non-stop is a lot of running and have their heart pounding out of their chest!

So, what do we do now? Let's move on to the next step of how to get you running for longer.

Building Your Fitness

Despite the smoking you can build up your fitness. To improve your fitness I would recommend:

Consistency, consistency, consistency
Run 3-4 times per week. Each week, every week. You may already be doing this. But for completeness: you cannot improve your fitness through running now and again. You need to build a routine.

Slow and steady
Run at a very slow pace, just that little bit faster than walking. Don't try to run fast yet. A gentle jog will do.

RUN/WALK
I'll put this one in capitals. I have helped hundreds of people at the start of their running career through my beginner running programs. When you are very low in fitness, it is best to start running by using a run/walk program. This way you alternate running and walking and can catch a breath in between the running. Check out the testimonials I get from happy runners. This approach has worked for many people wanting to start running.

Steady build-up
When you are using one of my beginner running programs you will already be doing this. When you want to go your own way, at least have a short look at the programs to see how they build up the amount of running and the total time spent running each week. You don't have to take big steps forward in the beginning. Just as long as you make that little bit of progress week on week. Continue doing that, each and every week and three, six, twelve months from now you'll look back and will be amazed with the enormous progress you have been able to make.

I hope this helps. Sorry to hear that the start of your running career has been far from easy. I have got every hope that a sensible and consistent running program can help you move forward. With, or preferrably without, the smoking.

With regards to the smoking: don't quit quitting. With regards to running: don't quit. Full stop. All the best.
Kind regards,
Dominique